Wanderers

1 - Cave of Wonders

That night, Penny Wayland dreamed of a cave.

When she would wake hours later she would have no recollection of the dark tunnels her mind had wandered, but she would still be left with the longing feeling of being somehow whole and incomplete at the same time.

Maybe it was this feeling that spurred Penny to climb out her second story window and watch the sunrise the next morning. The cold windowsill still wet from the early morning dew as she looked out over the hayfield in front of her Aunts farm house.

But that is later and right now 16 year old Penny Wayland is still dreaming and she's not ready to wake up.

Years Earlier

"It's your turn to count Nickel," Sara Beth cackled from the other side of the group.

Penny refused to look up at her. She had already lowered her Red Sox's baseball cap just so that she wouldn't have to look at the horrible smirk on Sara Beth's face. She also did it because the July sun was so bright in the open field across from the Wayland farmhouse.

"I'm not counting," Penny mumbled under her breath. The short hairs from her braid already falling out and into her face as she adjusted her cap lower.

"It is your turn to count," the cool voice of Calvin Carmichael hushes the crowd. Even at this young age, Calvin still commands a group, but even in her memories Penny doesn't always listen. She is sure he is standing there in the center of the group. His jet black hair and shoulders freckled by the summer sun.

"If you make me count Calvin, so help me, I'll just go home!" Penny threatened still refusing to make eye contact. Her sunburnt toes wiggling out from her scrappy sandals in the tall grass. Aunt Cora would kill her if she knew she wore them out her. Maybe she should just go back to the house?

"Don't go! Penny! I have the best hiding spot!" Mack whined as she felt a hand reach out and grab her shoulder.

Looking up from under her baseball hat, Penny could see the pitiful face, shaggy hair, and half empty smile of her friend Mack MacTaggart.

"Please," he begs in a whimper for only her to hear as his little sister Mimi waits in anticipation.

Emmy rolls her eyes and takes a quick glance back in the direction of the farm house. It's red roof shining from across the field. Cora probably won't be back until late that night. She lets out a sigh.

"1....2....3...," she says melancholy.

The chorus of kids erupt into laughter as they skip off into the tree line not far from where they are standing.

"Thank you Penny!" Mack yells as he grabs his hand and follows the others into the woods.

Technically they would be on Carmichael land once they crossed over but honestly nobody wants to claim Fenwick Forest as theirs. She had heard too many stories of the Lizard People who come out and steal children in the night to want anything to do with those woods. Honestly why did she even agree to do this? Penny took her hands off her eyes and stopped counting. All of the kids had already disappeared in the tree line but she could still hear their laughter far off in the distance.

Penny turns around and makes one last glance at the farmhouse. With a determined scowl, she readjusts her baseball cap and turns to face the woods.

"Ready or Not, here I come."